Casa particulare

You never know about quality of hotels in Cuba so good and economic way to stay is casa particulare, home stay. Locals are renting room in their own house, often offer meals also. Good way to get some tips where to go and to get in contact with locals.

Sanna joined me for Cuba and our flight arrived about same time so we headed together to our first Casa. What a welcome. Surprise was that out host knew English very well so communicating was very easy. Like local habit was, we were taken to other homes also to see what everybody has to offer. One with food, one with cigars and of course, everything with "good prices". All this made me feel very welcomed, it was nothing like Tunisian bazaars where people trying to sell something really get on your nerves.

Good start was topped up with mojitos at the town. At dinned we met fellow traveller Florian. He had been while in Cuba and knew some Spanish it seemed to be good idea to hook up with him. Nice fellow with lot's of good tips.

52. Cerveza Cristall
53. Cacique

Yakolev Yak-42D

My choice for flying to Cuba was Cubana airways. Plane was of course old Soviet time high tech. Russians know how to build stuff that may not be pretty but definately works. One advantages of old fool proof technique is that you can use cellphone whenever you want as there are no such electronic devices on board that might get compromised. To make sure everybody gets humble enough towards this fine piece of engineering, the door of the aeroplane is so small that you have bend over when entering the plane.

I could see bit if worrying faces from people entering the plane when Russian signs welcomed them on board. To be honest, there was a moment when I started to get bit nervous when plane started to fill with smoke. Luckily Stuarts walked around the plane comforting passengers: "Normal, normal". Cold breeze that I felt calmed me down quickly, must be just air conditioning starting.

While thick smog filled cabin slowly, it actually was so thick that if you bend over you could not see anything, people started to get really worried but rum served on plane seemed to calm down most people.

When we reached ground at Jose Marti airport, everybody seemed to be genuinely happy making the rocky ride safely.

Metal and Coco

Found rock bar here. Wohoo! Tattoo and rock actually. They have foosball also. This is my kind of place. All beers also 20 pesos. Big difference as most places at Carmen have beer price around 40 and it usually gets cheaper only when buying several at same time. Metal music gives nice vibe to sitting on balcony with mild warm breeze and view with palm trees.

48. Modelo Victoria
49. Leon (Modelo)
50. Bohemia Obscura (Frida Kahlo)


I also visited some Maya ruins at Tulum. Ruins were cool but most amazing thing was the beach. Really soft sand, cool cliffs, cold coconut while there. Might have seen someone whiter than me on the beach. Maybe, just maybe... No wait, why would Conan O'Brian be here.

And afterwards, bar with I dare you contest and that of course meant tit flashing.

51. Bohemia

Beach and Sun

I was definitely the whitest person on the beach. Hopefully in a week I'm at least second whitest. Beach itself is superb, white sand, no people trying to sell you something. Nice!

40. Negra Modelo
41. Pacifico Clara
42. Mexican ligh (missed brewery, shite in silver can anyway)
43. Modelo Especial

Snorkeling at Cozumel island with lot's of colorful fish living in ruins left by hurricane Cathrene. Free beer, well included to boat rent at least. Tasty chili con carne. This is not so bad after all. I just needed to get to beach mode.

44. Sol
45. Modelo Light
46. Montejo

I'm really getting on chill out mode here. I'm spending days at beach and otherwise I'm just avoiding places that play Lady Gaga. Believe me, it is not so easy here during evenings but I found couple nice bars. One Bob Marley style place with chill music and bit hidden location and another one also calm pub that showed NHL games. Easy choice for me between bad music and NHL.

Chilling out also slows down rate of meeting other people but here that might just be good thing as there are not so many locals around that aren't working and most travellers are into clubbing. I keep focusing on finding places with hammocks.

47. Cerveza Dos Equis (xx)

Mexico

After surprisingly short flight I arrived to Cancun airport that was densely populated by hustlers and taxi drivers offering their services. I cleared through them and continued with bus towards Playa where I was expecting to have some chill time with mojitos while laying in hammock.

First night was disappointment. This was not what I expected at all. Maybe I should have read something about destination before arriving. I ended up to resort town with Burger King, Starbucks and the worst; Lady Gaga playing everywhere. I was no mood for shite music at all so I strolled around town, sat on nightly beach and then strolled some more.

Bit after midnight I went back to hostel and noticed that it was surrounded by 2 nightclubs playing so loud that noise in room was almost unbearable. I managed to get some sleep but only to wake up when some teenage couple was getting busy in same room. I did not want to see that...